MR. Y.B, WHAT SAY YOU?

The above picture is an extract from The Borneo Post, dated 20.02.2009. It is actually a respond by the Kedup assemblyman to a report which was published by the same newspaper earlier. The earlier report mentioned about the bad condition of the Jalan Terbat which links 6 bidayuh villages and 2 primary schools with Mongkos road. The affected residents from the villages had requested for the authority to help and do some repair works. When the help that they requested did not come, they decided to publish their report in a local newspaper.

BGB (Bidayuh Generasi Baru) decided to reproduce some parts of the respond from the Kedup assemblyman here and give its own responses. BGB’s comments are in dark red.


KUCHING: Kedup assemblyman Frederick Bayoi said he has requested the Serian District Public Works engineer to seek funds from the government for repairing Jalan Terbat in Tebakang.

BGB: So, where is the fund, sir? It has been almost two months now. Did you say that you have requested the SPWD to seek funds? We are wondering now..would it not be appropriate if you instructed them to request for the funds instead of requesting them to seek? This is very unusual. Firstly, we thought that you, as an assemblyman, the peoples’ rep, should have more authority than the engineers and secondly, to seek for funds? When one seeks, it does not mean that he will certainly find the thing that he is looking or seeking for! Maybe this can explain why there has been no fund until this very moment.

He pointed out that to get the funds for road repair faster, they should apply under the category of ‘Roads damaged by flood’.

BGB: Who are they that you were referring to, sir? The engineers? Again, what’s the latest news about their seeking? We don’t see any work being done at any section of the damaged road. Were you referring to the affected villagers? Well, sir, the villagers have been living in one of the remote areas in Serian district for many, many years. Do you expect them to know what to do, where to go, what fund under what category? Come on, sir! We say that you should have come to meet your people long before anything happens, to make some ceramah or talks on issues like disaster funds and many other things that everybody there should know about. Isn’t that your job and responsibility? Why waited until disasters strike?

Since the government has already allocated millions of ringgit to remedy situations linked to problems caused by the flood, he might as well try to apply for the fund under such category, said Bayoi who is also walikota Samarahan. He said he empathized with his constituents but expressed regrets that Jalan Terbat was not yet tar-sealed due to delay in getting allocation from the federal government. He said proposals were made several years ago to get the road upgraded as well as get it maintained from time to time, especially when its poor condition was aggravated by two floods and heavy rains recently. “I am concerned about the poor state of the road. But since the allocation of about RM10 millions for the upgrading of the road has been delayed, I will try to get some immediate fund under the category of ‘Roads damaged by flood’.

BGB: These statements are very confusing indeed. If the government has already allocated millions of ringgits to remedy emergency situations, does that not mean that the government does have the money? Why then, that particular road was not yet tar-sealed? Why the delay? If BGB is not mistaken, the compensations have been paid to the land owners whose land were affected by the upgrading project, why the delay then? Do you know, sir, that rumors have been moving around in that area saying that you ‘took’ some allocations for that road to somewhere else. How true? I don’t know. Go there and ask for yourself.

He said he might also have to raise the issue in the next State Legislative Assembly sitting, probably in May, on getting the allocation for the upgrading of the 8km Jalan Terbat.

BGB: What, sir? Did you say you ‘might also have to raise’? The word might is used to show that a person’s intention will or will not be done by him. Which one is yours, sir? And ‘have to’?? Why the ‘have to’? Is it not your job is to voice out the rakyat’s needs and wants at the right place and time? The SLA is not a place for begging that makes you ‘have to’ voice out the rakyat’s needs. By the way, you and the previous reps should have brought up the issue a long, long time ago, over and over again, not probably in May 2009! We guess that if the SLA sitting is not in May, it might be in June, July, August, September, October, November, December..2010, 2011 and the list goes on and on.

He also said his constituents should also channel their complaints directly to the Public Works Department (JKR) if roads and bridges are damaged by flood; to the Agriculture Department if their crops are destroyed by flood and the Welfare Department if they need immediate assistance following natural disasters.

BGB: Yeah, right… Didn’t the reps from the 6 villages come to tell JKR and you about their road’s condition? Was it not you who said “Anyap jawi inya beken nug opis aku.” which means “No other faces came to my office…” to that headman of Kpg Mapu Kijabu? For our readers’ information, Jalan Terbat was already in bad condition even long, long before the last two heavy downpours. Can you imagine how many times the reps from the 6 villagers came to see the YB in his office? Joking or not, BGB says that the YB’s words to that headman were very RUDE indeed. How could he, as a YB who is known as a religious person said some things like that?


NOW HERE ARE THE LATEST UPDATES FOR YOU MR. YB, IF YOU CARE ENOUGH TO KNOW;

1. The road is now in terrible condition. No repair work done except a visit by two black, red and yellow pick-up trucks for sight seeing right after the 1st report in the BP. A visit to the workshop is a must in 1 or 2 days for the passenger van drivers to do some repair work on their vehicles. You care to pay for it, sir?

2. Two more landslides happened just a few days after your respond in the paper and covered half of the road, just above the slippery and muddy hill. They are still there.

3. The main wooden and metal bridge is in poor and dangerous condition. Broken planks are everywhere and the teachers from the nearby primary school couldn’t do the repair work any longer.

4. Some caring and responsible villagers did a little repair work at some sections of the road using their own resources and time while you were enjoying your cozy home and lifestyle over there.

5. PKR has already infiltrated the area and has recruited many new young members especially those who are very frustrated by you. If you and your friends are smart enough, you will not take that for granted.

6. Don’t blame the villagers for going to the press. You know why! We think that you owe them lots of explainations!